Iran's Minister of Industries, Mining and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh has stressed the importance of bolstering cooperation, instead of competition, between neighboring and Muslim countries.
In a meeting with Turkey's Minister of Science, Industry and Technologies Fikri Isik in Ankara on Thursday, the Iranian minister said Iran and Turkey can take advantage of the synergy of regional cooperation and plan to export their joint products to other countries.
The two sides discussed cooperation in science and technology, petrochemical industry as well as production of turbines and generators.
Isik welcomed the prospect of closer ties and proposed establishing a joint industrial park on Iran-Turkey's border and said it would "create great opportunities for joint ventures."
Nematzadeh also met with Turkey's Minister of Customs and Trade Cenap Asci later and discussed issues, such as cooperation between the two countries' customs officials, tackling trade limitations at the border terminals of Gürbulak-Bazargan, Esendere-Serow and Kapikoy-Razi, and increasing bilateral trade to $30 billion from the current $13 billion by the end of 2015.
The Iranian minister also met with Turkish Minister of Economic Affairs Nihat Zeybekci on Thursday, during which Zaybekci described Iran as "the land of economic opportunities" following the lifting of sanctions and complete integration with the global economy.
On Friday, Nematzadeh attended a meeting with Turkey's Association of Economic Journalists and emphasized the important role of Turkey and Iran's media in presenting a vivid picture of the two countries' economic climate. He described his talks with Turkish officials as "constructive and positive" and invited Turkish traders and investors to visit Iran and seize the opportunities following the July 14 nuclear deal reached between Tehran and world powers, and the prospective lifting of western sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
